


Watching

by AngelQueen



Series: Diamond of the Day-Inspired Fics [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Episode: s05e13 The Diamond of the Day, Gen, Hope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-30
Updated: 2012-12-30
Packaged: 2017-11-22 23:50:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/615749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelQueen/pseuds/AngelQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Through it all, Grettir watched.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watching

Strength has fallen. Courage sleeps. Magic is gone.

It has always been Grettir’s purpose to guard the gateway to the Fisher King’s realm. Even after Magic freed Grettir’s king from his agony, he continues to protect the kingdom. It has changed much in those years, recovered from the wounds inflicted on it. From his bridge, he can see the greenery, the _life_ that slowly evolves over rolling hills.

That is not to say that Grettir is unaware of what happens outside of his home. He has always watched events pass him by. He saw the traitor king finally fall at the hands of his illegitimate seed. He saw Courage come into his own, to become the king he was destined to be. He saw Strength find something worth believing in. He saw Magic work to achieve the dreams that sustained him.

He saw a kingdom flower, bright and beautiful but inherently flawed as such things always are. Courage became a great ruler, but still fell short of the greatness he could have had. Strength became a great warrior, but became bitter against forces which he could not defend against. Magic became wise, but in seeking to avoid prophecy nonetheless invoked it’s terrible events.

The promise of hope in these three fell well short of what it could have been.

Through it all, Grettir watched.

Now, it is done. A queen sits on Courage’s throne, determined to continue his work as best she can. Other warriors seek to fill Strength’s boots, thus neglecting their own true selves in exchange. Magic vanishes from sight. In this new state of things, there is still a chance for peace and greatness, but it will ring hollow, a pale imitation of what could have been.

But there is nonetheless hope. Strength has fallen, but has not failed. Courage sleeps, but will one day awake. Magic is gone, but will return.

Grettir knows, as he has always known. He will watch, and wait for that day.


End file.
